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Use as close to a vanilla xorg.conf as possible and configure with aticonfig, not by editing xorg.conf.

The Catalyst / fglrx driver uses xorg.conf primarily for configuring the X server, and uses a separate mechanism for driver configuration. The info is stored in the amdpcsdb file (or maybe atipcsdb, I forget) where pcsdb is short for something like Persistent Configuration Store DataBase. I believe aticonfig changes both xorg.conf and amdpcsdb as needed.

The aticonfig --initial command syncs up the pcsdb and xorg.conf files if the xorg.conf is pretty much vanilla -- if more changes are required the -f option lets aticonfig --initial make more significant changes to xorg.conf. From that point you use the aticonfig command to configure driver options -- try something like aticonfig --help to get the options.

The names are in the process of changing from ati... to amd..., not sure what current status is.

Comment

Maybe you can help me then. I use an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 6370 with proprietary drivers v11.8 in Ubuntu 11.10 64 bit and I can't get it to detect an external monitor through HDMI. Not with the Catalyst software nor with the "Displays" utility. I just want to set up a simple and straight forward clone display configuration to see my laptop output on my HD TV monitor. I can do this without any trouble in Windows 7 (same machine, dual boot) so I know there's nothing wrong with my hardware (laptop, cable or TV monitor).

I thought it had to do with my xorg.conf, but I don't really know how that works. I recently discovered that if I run xrandr i get:

Comment

You seem to have two GPUs in there -- one is the HD4250 IGP and the other is the HD6370M discrete.

I don't remember current status of RandR support for multiple GPUs but my guess is that you are getting results from the first GPU, which is probably the HD4250 with the LVDS display and VGA connectors attached, and the HDMI is probably connected to the HD6370.

I imagine you'll need to use the Catalyst control panel to see all the displays; xrandr will only cover a single GPU.

The information section in the Catalyst GUI confirms this, however, the display manager only lists the 4200 adapter.

I thought I could sort this out with a new xorg.conf file generated by aticonfig --initial -f --adapter=all but that only resulted in X server failing to load at startup. I only got it working again by restoring the previous configuration.

The information section in the Catalyst GUI confirms this, however, the display manager only lists the 4200 adapter.

I thought I could sort this out with a new xorg.conf file generated by aticonfig --initial -f --adapter=all but that only resulted in X server failing to load at startup. I only got it working again by restoring the previous configuration.

That should put the discreet card first in the xorg.conf as well as the Monitor/Screen also the HDMI is a DFPx (x being the port number not sure what you're setup looks like) and sofar all my experience with ATI cards the HDMI are numbered first when there are DVI ports as well.
On my 5970 there is 3 ports one mini display (mine hdmi) which is DFP1 and the the two DVI ports DFP2 and DFP3
On my 5870 there is x2 HDMI x2 DVI and yet again my HDMI ports are DPF1 DPF2 then DVI ports are DFP3 and DFP4

Now I have a tower and you're using a laptop so I don't know what they or how you have things sticking out and where lol, in my case If I'm leaning over from the front of my tower looking down at the Display ports from left to right on both cards would start the order 5970 DPF2 DVI, DPF1 HDMI ,DPF3 DVI (Even though they stuck the HDMI in the Middle it's still DPF1 and it's still left to right with the DVI's) Then my 5870 DPF1 HDMI, DPF2 HDMI, DPF3 DVI, DPF4 DVI.

So with that said you if you only have one HDMI port it should be DPF1 for the spefic card the HDMI port is for. then you need something like this in your xorg.conf:

I made this via the aticonfig command real quick(just for you =) for a pure basic config and edited out the extra displays to lessen your confusion to be used as an example. As I backed up my custom setup first like above.
I'm using my 5970 as the first card connected via a DVI the port is DPF2 (I'm using DVI because I need a Dual Link DVI(which basically means more pins) to obtain the 120Hz).

Hope this sheds more light then confuses you lol.
Just one more thing you should be able to setup your BIOS to your desired Display Adapter just another resort you can try as well then just need too run the --initial that should straighten things out as well.